A swift-moving blaze gutted a portion of a home in the first block of Clarenden Drive in Forks Township tonight, leaving a couple homeless.

About 50 firefighters from five departments responded to 40 Clarenden Drive and worked to keep the blaze from spreading from the garage area to the rest of the two-story house.

The fire started in the laundry room just before 8 p.m., and officials believe it to be accidental, Forks Fire Chief Charles Chapman said.

Firefighters from West Easton and Forks, Palmer, Plainfield and Lower Mount Bethel townships extinguished the fire in less than an hour, Chapman said. While the fire was contained to just a few rooms, the chief said the rest of the home sustained heavy smoke damage and had been deemed uninhabitable.

Chapman did not know if the Red Cross would be assisting the homeowners, who had been out to dinner at the time the fire broke out. The couple initially had received a fire alarm alert from their alarm company, which later was upgraded to a house fire, he said.

Northampton County property records indicate the home is owned by Lucas James Taylor.

Chapman said the couple returned home and opened the garage door to find the fire, which destroyed a car parked in the garage. While there were no reported injuries, he said two cats had died in the fire.

Neighbors watching the blaze from their homes said they heard what sounded like a bang and windows popping just before flames began shooting from the roof of the garage area.